1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heating racks and in particular, although not exclusively to heating racks for heating and cooking food. The invention has particular relevance to the cooking of fatty foods over naked flames such as barbecues.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is to be understood that the present invention may be applied in cooking ovens or in grills and industrial ovens. Where the context permits, the present invention may be used in the heating of other objects where heating the object results in the melting of the object.
One of the main problems with cooking fatty foods such as sausages, meat, kebabs, beef burgers and the like over charcoal or gas heated synthetic charcoal or coals, is that the fat runs down and drips into the heated coals and ignites. This causes flames to rise and overcook or burn the food being cooked.
Often the resulting flare-up causes personal danger to the user and many a user of barbecues have barbecued more than they bargained for!
There have been a number of attempts, some very complex solutions, to prevent the fat from igniting. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,725, there is shown a grill having a grid element. The grid element comprises a base element and upstanding ribs. Openings are provided.
One problem associated with the prior art is that those solutions have resulted in a reduction of direct heat radiation from the heat source, which is undesirable because it reduces the cooking efficiency.